


The Third Witness

by screwitimironman



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Episode: s07e04 Defending Your Life, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Love Confessions, M/M, Trials, Unrequited Love, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-03
Updated: 2014-07-03
Packaged: 2018-02-07 06:06:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1887738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/screwitimironman/pseuds/screwitimironman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Do you want me to call my third witness to the stand, or have we had enough?"</p><p>    A canon divergance of "Defending Your Life" where Dean agrees to let Osiris call the third witness and it's not Amy Pond. </p><p>   In fact it's so much worse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Third Witness

            “Do you want me to call my third witness to the stand? Or have you had enough?”

             And there it was, the other shoe. The one thing that Osiris had against Dean, and Dean knew that no finagling on Sam’s part would ever erase the guilt Dean felt for lying to his brother about Amy.

            “What the hell’s he talking about?” Sam asked, he looked so confused and agitated, but it was more than that, because underneath it all was the trust Sam had for him. The trust that Dean knew he didn’t deserve.

            Dean sat silently, weighing his thoughts. He could face Amy now and see the complete betrayal on Sam’s face or he could just end it now and die while his brother still respected him.

            Dean would like to take door number two please.

            “Enough Ally McBealing. Just drop the hammer already, will you?” Dean grunted, avoiding the shock on Sam’s face.

            “Wait, Dean. He’s giving us more time!” Sam looked so earnest, like he could solve all of Dean’s problems with a wave of his pseudo-lawyering capabilities and complete understanding. Dean could only frown, eyes averted. There was no fairy tale ending here for Dean. Dean knew that.

            “It’s not gonna make a difference, Sam!” Dean looked up, staring into Sam’s face. He had to make his brother understand that both Dean and Osiris knew it was over. Nothing could save Dean’s ass from the guilt that layered his heart.

            “Do you need another moment? You done?” Osiris’s words were taunt and teasing. He was the lion and he had finally cornered Dean, his prey.

            “No.” Sam shouted. He walked closer to Dean, looking deep into his brother’s eyes. “Look, Dean, I’m your brother okay? Whatever it is you’ve done, I’m sure it’s not as big of a deal as you think. We can get through this. You just have to let me help.”

            A hand rested on Dean’s shoulder, and for a second Dean believed they could get through this.

            But just for a second.

            Osiris was growing impatient, Dean could feel the god’s wrath stewing in the room, but he looked a Dean with a sly smile. “Besides, you have no clue who I’m going to call forth.”

            The silence that followed that statement was deafening.

            “I’ll do it, but you got to promise me Sam that no matter who it is up there you won’t hate me. You’ve got to promise me that.” Dean was desperate now, as he sat in the witness chair, emerald eyes huge.

            “Dean what are you-“

            “Promise me, Sammy.” Dean cut off his brother with a short bark.

            “Okay.” Sam frowned at his brother in shock, but he nodded, jaw tightly clenched. “I can do that.”

            Dean let out a small sigh only to be interrupted by Osiris’s meaty chuckle.

            The god shook his head at Dean, looking between the two brothers carefully. “You really should have saved your breath Dean.” Osiris grinned sharply, before he turned back to the main hall and announced his next witness.

            “I call the angel, Castiel, to the stand.”

            Dean felt his mouth dry and his body freeze.

            A flicker of white filled the room and then there he was; Castiel stood in the middle of the room in his sinfully messy hair, big baby blues, and a tacky trench coat.

            He looked around stoically before he finally made eye contact with the hunter.

            “Dean.” Castiel whispered, his face softening into a small smile.

            Dean swallowed harshly; he had definitely not seen this coming.

            “Castiel.” Osiris voice rang out, breaking the heavy trance between the angel and his hunter. “You are an angel, correct?”

            Castiel turned to face the direction of the god, face once again harsh and grim.

            “Correct.” Castiel deep voice rumbled through the room, sending a small shiver down Dean’s spine.

            “And why do angels fall?” Osiris asked, a small smirk slipping across his face.

            Castiel suddenly stiffened, his eyes darting to the floor, his words a silent mumble.

            “I’m sorry, I don’t think the defendant caught that.” Osiris said glancing at Dean with a wink.

            “Because they have sinned.” Castiel’s voice was clear now, eyes still carefully avoiding Dean’s.

            “And how many times have you almost fallen Castiel?” Osiris asked, playfully handling his staff.

            “Many.” Castiel’s voice was quiet and tired, as if they’d been at this for hours.

            “Why Castiel? Can you tell us why?”

            “Because I strayed from God’s Word and it slowly drained my Grace.”

            And Dean was suddenly flashing back to all the times Castiel had been a dead battery, all the times Dean had yelled at the angel for it.

            “It was more than that, wasn’t it Castiel?” Osiris asked, watching the angel nervously shift his weight back and forth. “What would you say was the main cause of this said straying?” Osiris stressed the word straying, almost as if he was chastising the angel for his word choice.

            Castiel frown deepened. “Respect.” He stated simply.

            Osiris let out another throaty laugh at the angel’s words, and Dean couldn’t help but shift his seat uncomfortably.

            “I believe most of your angel companions would say it was a little more than respect. Attraction maybe? Obsession? Love, definitely.”

            Castiel blushed, gaze resolutely set on his shoes.

            “Maybe I should rephrase the question.” Osiris asked, glancing at Dean once again. “Who caused you to fall again and again, dear angel? For whom did you sin?”

            Osiris spit the words at Castiel, who flinched as if they were venom. The angel sat quietly, finally glancing over at Sam and Dean with a sad sort of pleading look on his face.

            “Answer the question, Castiel.” Osiris’s words were cold and demanding.

            Castiel turned away from the hunter’s gaze before letting out a sigh and looking into Osiris’s eyes.

            “Dean Winchester.”

            Dean’s heart twisted wickedly in his chest. All the pent up anger and frustration he had felt for Castiel in the end melting away to be replaced by a gut-wrenching guilt that rolled over the hunter in waves.

            “What is Dean Winchester to you.” Osiris asked.

            “Dean is my charge.” Castiel said simply “It is my duty to watch over him and care for him.”

            Dean tried so hard to forget about all the times he had called Castiel useless, or had lashed out at the angel for not being enough.

            Osiris looked unamused by the angel’s response. “Castiel, we all know you’re job as Dean’s charge ended before the apocalypse. Tell us all why you really watched over Dean, even after heaven had forbidden it.”

            Castiel’s eyes shifted around suddenly, and he swallowed before replying. “Because Dean is my friend.”

            “It’s a little more than that, isn’t it Castiel?” Osiris asked, prompting the angel to continue.

            Castiel looked suddenly frightened, and he glanced over at Dean quietly.

            “Shh… Angel. It’s okay, you can say it.” Osiris’s words were soft and sweet but his eyes were cruel, tormenting, and wicked, as he softly prompted the angel forward with his words.

            “Because I’m in love with Dean Winchester.” Castiel said, the words cold and solemn.

            Dean felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room quite suddenly.

            “Objection!” Sam called out, quickly gaining the frustrated angel’s attention. “The love Castiel feels for Dean is no different from the love Dean and I share.”

            Castiel shook his head sadly, looking into the older brother’s shell-shocked green eyes. “Sam, I’m sorry to say the love I feel for your brother is anything but brotherly.”

            Sam quietly shut his mouth, closing his eyes in defeat.

            Dean looked away from Castiel, guiltily staring at the ground. He couldn’t do this right now. The way Castiel felt about him was so shocking and frustratingly foreign to Dean that he couldn’t do anything but shut down and turn from the angel’s dark gaze.

            “Dean.” Castiel pleaded, but the hunter kept his eyes fixed firmly on the ground in shock. “I never wanted you to know about this. I knew you would never feel the same way I did so I just-“

            Dean looked up then, his gaze locking with the angel’s. “You just what, Castiel? Thought it would be better to just follow us around like some goddamn puppy. Praying that one day I would turn around and want you the same way you wanted me.” His voice was so angry, so defensive and every flinch from Castiel was a glass shard of guilt digging deeper into his chest.

            “No. I just wanted to protect you. That’s why I took Crowley’s deal, that’s why I consumed the souls, that’s why I became God.” Castiel looked at Dean, his gaze firm and strong. “I wanted to make up for all the times I had failed you in the past. During the apocalypse I asked so much from you, it wasn’t fair. I wanted you to see that I was strong and that I could solve problems on my own. I wanted to give you a real reason to pray to me.”

            Dean felt himself falling apart with every single word from Castiel’s mouth. It was Dean’s fault that the angel felt like this, Dean’s fault that Cas had gone dark side. If only Dean wouldn’t have teased him, if only Dean had paid a little more attention in the long run, he might have been able to save Castiel. Hell, Dean might have even been able to love him back.

            But Castiel had always been so guarded and reserved, his vessel the iceberg that concealed all his power and emotions and fears.

Except Castiel was almost never reserved with Dean. Dean was always the one to receive the blinding smiles, Dean was always the one whose prayers got answered, and when Dean had had a real life, Castiel had been sure to quietly respect it from afar.

            Dean could only imagine how that must have ripped Cas to pieces, watching him with Lisa and Ben.

            “Dean.” Castiel’s gruff voice once again pulled the hunter from his thoughts. “Please do not feel guilty for the things I have said. I made my own decisions long ago and though I regret them, you should not be burdened by me.”

            Dean let out a little huff of a laughing, shocking everyone in the room, including Osiris.

            “Cas. You’re not a burden. You never were a burden.” Dean said, looking into the angel’s deep blue eyes. “And… I may not have loved you, but I’ve always needed you. Well, need you really. I don’t know if that will ever stop.” Dean glanced away, his mouth felt like he’d been gargling chalk and acid and his chest still ached whenever he looked at the angel.

            Castiel’s eyes sparkled suspiciously, and the angel let out a wide smile.

            “Thank you, Dean.”

            “And Cas.” The angel looked back up at Dean, his face molded into the same firm expression that usually adorned Castiel’s face when he was with the hunters, except this time Dean could see through the blank mask and into Castiel’s soul. He could see the eager need to please and the pure innocent wish to do good for this this world, a need that had been sparked by Dean himself.

            Dean remembered the last time he had really seen Castiel; his vessel stretched thin and still fighting the darkness inside of him. He remembers the look on Cas’ face as he said his final words to Dean.

            _“I’m going to find some way to redeem myself to you.” The angel had cried, disintegrating before the hunter’s eyes. “I mean it, Dean.”_

            “You’ve already redeemed yourself a hundred times over to me.” Dean whispered, watching as Castiel smiled quietly to himself before disappearing.

            Sam set a small hand on Dean’s shoulder, reassuring and warm.

            “Well that was quaint.” Osiris looked at Dean with a quick little grin.

            Dean ignored him, trying to ignore the wetness that attempted to slip from behind his eyes.

            “Dean Winchester.” The smile on the god’s face feel, and he looked quietly at the human who sat at his feet waiting for a verdict. “You hunter’s are incredibly complex human beings deep inside. Hate and destruction follow you everywhere, tearing at your souls and wearing down not only you, but also the people who decide to blindly follow you into battle. There is always so much guilt in your hearts, so much anger. Yet the things you do save so many lives and help so many people.”

            Osiris tapped his staff on the ground loudly. The three knocks ringing through the courtroom.

            “I can see inside your heart Dean. I can see the love you have for your car, for your family, and especially for your brother. It’s a beautiful thing the grows everyday. I can see the love you have for your job, and how that disgusts you deep inside. I can also see the love you’ve hidden away from yourself, love for a certain angel.”

            Dean glanced up at Osiris in shock.

            “I can see how the love you feel for him makes you feel dirty, worthless, and undeserving.”

            Osiris stood up slowly, watching the hunters carefully. “But as I have said before, it does not matter what I think. What truly matters is what you think.”

            He shifted his weight to the center, both hand wrapped around his staff.

            “And the love that you have inside you, the heart the beats purely and generously, is weighed down by the leaden pain of your own guilt. For failing your family, failing Castiel, and even for failing Sam.”

            Osiris cleared his throat, letting his voice ring out in the courtroom.

            “The court has reached a verdict.”

            Osiris turned his head to meet Dean’s cold, hard gaze.

            “I find you, Dean Winchester, guilty in your heart.”

             Dean swallows nervously looking away from the cold eyes of the Egyptian god.

            “And sentence you to die.”

**Author's Note:**

> I was just watching this episode and thinking about all the people who Dean could possibly feel guilty about over the years. When I thought about how Dean might react to Castiel confessing his feelings while on trial I knew I just had to write this piece. 
> 
> Thanks to you all for reading.
> 
> Comments are appreiciated
> 
> You can find me on my tumblr:  
> omchuck.tumblr.com


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